“Your home should be the antidote, not the source of stress.” —Peter Walsh.
Is your home serving you, or are you serving your home?
It’s not a question most of us ask ourselves, but it should be. After all, our homes are built to serve a specific purpose in our lives. come back toand our location get out of every day.
If your home is serving you well, it’s a safe harbor from life’s storms. A place to relax, rest and connect with your family in a meaningful way.
But it’s also a starting point. It’s the only life you have to live, and it’s a safe starting point where you can make a positive difference in the world.
A home will serve you well if it offers both of these benefits.
A house is useless when it needs more than it gives.
When owning a home (and maintaining possessions within it) becomes your focus, you are devoting precious and limited resources (money, time, and energy) to caring for your home. That’s when you know you’re serving your home. You spend so much time cleaning, maintaining and repairing that you spend less time living the life you want. It also probably pays a large mortgage for privilege.
The good news is that it doesn’t have to be.it is possible to live more by owning the following.
Here are 15 small changes we can all make at home.
1. Remove decorations that are no longer irritating.
Just because something made you happy in the past doesn’t mean you have to keep it going forever. not.
Remove small objects and photos that no longer inspire you. Or a decoration that I bought once because it was clearance. Keeping only the items that mean the most to you lets them shine.
2. donate clothes you don’t like.
Instead of facing stress and indecision after decluttering your closet, you will feel more calm and peaceful each morning when you are ready. Laundry becomes easier too. Needless to say, donating unused clothing to local charities is a simple but meaningful way to help others.
3. Deny convenient fallacies.
There are places in our homes where we tend to misplace items for convenience, such as the pile of favorite DVDs in the corner, the appliances in the kitchen, or the toiletries next to the sink in the bathroom. By leaving these things out, we think we’re saving time and simplifying our lives.
That’s the fallacy of convenience. Sure, it might save you a few seconds, but the other 99.9% of the time those items stay there, a visual distraction. Create a space that serves your home. Store in a cabinet or drawer.
4. Get rid of signs that do not inspire a noble life.
I know a woman who has a sign in her laundry room that says, “Life in the fast lane is hard when you’re married to a speed bump.” I get the humor, but reading that sign every day makes me wonder how her approach to marriage, even if it’s a small one, will affect her.
Instead of hanging words on your wall, put up positive messages that inspire you and appreciate you.
5. Free up closet space.
One of the biggest complaints people have about their homes is that their closets are too small. And every time I think about it, I feel down.
If you’ve been thinking you need a bigger closet, perhaps the better answer is to own less stuff.
6. Clear the dining table.
Is your dining room table a repository for mail, backpacks, keys, and other things that are in the process of being moved from one place to another? It might seem like more work than it’s worth. Put the items away where they belong.
On the table read, “Your next meal is ready. Gather your loved ones and let’s eat together!”
7. Clean your entertainment center.
These large pieces of furniture often contain many small items that are no longer needed. Get rid of old electronics, unwanted cords, unused discs and games. Get rid of them by recycling responsibly, place the devices you use in easy-to-see displays, and hide the cords as much as possible.
8. Distinguish between minimizing and tidying up.
Just because a room is tidy doesn’t mean it’s tidy or serves its purpose. Well-organized clutter is still clutter. Never organize anything that can be thrown away.
9. Cut down on beauty and grooming products.
I don’t know how big your bathroom is, but clearing out the clutter will definitely make it look more spacious. Empty all cabinets and drawers. Separate beauty tools (hair dryers, styling irons, savers, etc.) from beauty products (make-up, lotion, aftershave, etc.).
Eliminate duplicates, discard broken or old items, and get rid of items you no longer use. Next, wash your storage containers and organize what you store. The bathroom you already have will allow you to feel more calm and relaxed.
10. Clean up duplicates.
I call this the Minimization Accelerator. Because it’s one of the easiest ways you can make rapid progress. Let’s start with the linen closet. How many extra pillows, sheets and towels do you really need?
Other candidates for deduplication include cleaning supplies, gardening tools, fashion accessories, home office supplies, toys, books, and kitchen utensils. Keep your favorites in each category and get rid of the rest.
11. Calm your reading space.
Even if you don’t feel like decluttering the entire room, you can still “calm down” the space. Minimizing distractions calms down the space. Pick your favorite chair and clean up your surroundings. Remove non-furniture items from the floor. Remove or store remote controls, pet toys, children’s toys, hobby items, old newspapers/magazines, mail, books, etc. to clean the surface of your side table or coffee table.
12. Make space for your car in your garage.
A garage is useless if it doesn’t serve its purpose (that is, to store your car). We’re not saying that using your garage as a storage space is bad, but you can overuse it. Many people do.
Remove all obvious candidates for decluttering — edge to edge and leftovers, unused children’s play and sports equipment, duplicate tools, spare parts, etc.
13. Tackle your junk drawer.
most of us have it. This is the default resting place for small items that don’t have more space. Or if you think it has some use but can’t remember what it is anymore.
Throw most of what’s out there and don’t miss it.
14. Set physical boundaries for your child.
Give your child a certain amount of space and let them manage it as they want. Our garage has 1 shelving unit and 1 plastic trash can. Children store outdoor toys on shelves and put balls in the trash. When things start overflowing, ask them to decide what to keep and what to remove. The same principle applies to bedrooms and toy baskets.
15. Count the “clutter costs”.
It’s hard to let go of things that you’ve spent so much money on. But keeping things you no longer wear, use, or love comes with a price. A load or mess cost is the money, time, energy, and space an object demands.
If you have a hard time parting with an expensive item, or any other item, remember to consider the benefit/cost ratio before deciding to keep it.
You may not be able to do all 15 right away, but there are some on this list that you can still do today.
A home that serves you well is a beautiful thing. It’s less distracting and calming, making it a fun place to come back and an exciting place to go.
Don’t wait any longer to get a home that gives you more than you need.
